In adoption, the term "special needs" varies by state and country. In this blog post, we explore some similarities and differences in the way "special needs" is defined across the U.S. and around the world.

For many children, fireworks are the best part of Independence Day. But for children with Sensory Processing Disorder–or children who simply become overwhelmed by crowds and unpredictable environments–Fourth of July fireworks and festivities are stress-inducing. Read on to learn how to help your child have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

Many adoptive families have found that pets help their children emotionally and socially adapt to a new home environment. We look into some studies that show why pets are therapeutic to adopted children.

Third culture kid (TCK) refers to children raised in a culture outside of their biological culture for a significant part of their developmental years. Learn more about the cultural research in this field here.

Experiences of loss, grief, and trauma can have a lasting impact on an adopted person's mental health. Find out more about ways to decrease the risk of harm or suicide, as well as resources and support for issues that are common among adopted people.

Time and time again, we have all heard that the first few years of a child’s life are crucial to their brain development. Research shows that brain development in early childhood affects the child emotionally, socially, and intellectually for the remainder of their lives.

This past week I was given the opportunity to attend an Empowered to Connect conference. At this conference, we learned about Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and parents were given methods for parenting a child with a history of abuse or neglect. We learned about techniques which children used to protect themselves during the period of abuse or neglect and ways parents can help their child overcome these tendencies and develop skills to thrive in safe environments.